Night owls across Australia are in for a treat this weekend as the sky will be lit up with a beautiful Geminid meteor show – but only if you’re lucky enough to have clear skies.
Get those wishes ready, because countless shooting stars will be shooting across the sky. Astronomer Tayna Hill revealed this December shower is a peculiar event because of it’s origin.
“What’s interesting about the Geminids is that it’s left behind by an asteroid rather than a comet,” Dr Hill told ABC News.
“That’s a pretty rare occurrence.”
So, rug up in, grab a hot chocolate and turn off the lights because this is a rare celestial shower you don’t want to miss.
What meteor showers are coming?
Look up Aussies, the Geminid meteor shower will be dazzling the night sky. The shower could potentially see dozens of meteors an hour as Earth moves through debris of an asteroid called 3200 Phaethon.
The Geminid shower will be slightly visible from the early hours of Saturday until Tuesday. But it’s peaking viewing time will be Sunday December 14 and Monday December 15.
When is the best time to watch the Geminid meteor shower?
The best time to see this shower will be in the early hours of the morning, between 2am to 2:30am according to Dr Hill.
How to see the Geminid meteor shower in Australia:
While you won’t need any binoculars or any other piece of equipment to watch the meteor shower, stargazers should avoid any light pollution.
Luckily, the moon phase is merely a thin crescent so the sky will be dark when the shower arrives.
It’s advised people to look around the north-east direction. And if it’s Geminid name wasn’t a hint enough, viewers should look for Jupiter which is close to the Gemini constellations brightest stars, Castor and Pollux.
Are there any superstitions around meteor showers?
Like many natural events, there is always some kind of superstition – and meteor showers are no different. Many cultures believed meteor showers could be either good or bad omens.
The most well-known folklore around the celestial event is that making a wish upon a fallen star will grant your wish.
Some of the meteor showers will have some mythical connection including Perseid which was named after the Perseus the Hero constellation.
